/ 20 January 2005

China considers South Pole post office

China is considering setting up a post office in Antarctica after several trial deliveries to the world’s southernmost continent, state media reported on Wednesday.

The Beijing International Post Office plans to send an official to the Great Wall research station near the South Pole to investigate if there is a need for such a service, the Xinhua news agency said.

If it is decided to go ahead with the service, it will soon be possible to send mail to Antarctica from any post office in China, according to the report.

Xinhua did not specify why such a service might be considered necessary.

The Great Wall station and another research base, Zhongshan station, are the only facilities inhabited by Chinese on the freezing continent. — AFP